Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-09-03
a Esca. Snake in :. Barroom.

gang of cowboys with IS calibre reVolv.
ers neyer cleared out Western saloon In
shorter order than crowd in the Pulaski
House bar was dispersed last night. As
they rushed pel nell through the Bull
street doors the first thought of passers by
was that another earthquake was coming.
1t was neither cowboy nor al earthquake,
but something fully as terrible-a full grown
adult "rattler."
The worlsInen who are cutting bushes up
the river for the mattresses" to be used in
the jetties caught his snakeship and sent
him down to Col. John Gaynor, the Govern
ment contractor. They had Gagged the rep
tile in rough box, across the top of which
were nailed barrel stave or two and q
shi1ge Box and contents were placed in
the barroom fer safe keeping until morning
as the night clerk objected to having the
snake in the Office or around the lobby.
Nearly everybody who entered the bar
caught sight Of the box, and tried to form
an idea of the rattler's size by peering
through the cracks in the box.
One young man from an interior county
finally dropped in, and was approaching the
box by left obique movement when be
caromed on the soap box lying on the floor.
rattle ut rate which sounded as if his
tail was making 1000 revolutions a
minute. The ruraist Recognized the
sound, and the leap that he made
would have broken the best amateurs record
in the country if it had been measured.
Ii some way the box was overturned, and
one Of the slaves which was insecurely fast:
enfd caue off, Out darted head as wide
on top as he palm of an ordinary mans
hand Two feet or more Of snake shot out
from the head like blow straight from lhe
shoulder In less than half q second three
feet more Of the reptile had wiggled out Oh
the floor and coiled up midway between the
counter and the cracker shelf.
A dozen or fifteen men bad been standing
around, the most of them within pace Of
| the box. half a dozen glasses Of beer and
lemonade had just been set out. The thirsty
and the curious were alarmed by d yell, and
all grasped the situation so quickly that a
stop watch couldn't have taken the time.
Some made break for the billiard room
and the rest for Bull street. But all could
not get through the doorway at one time.
and four who were in the rear jumped for
the counter and clambered mp on it.
The bartenders couldn't see what had
happened, but they formed q pretty accu.
rate idea and they too climbed up on The
counter. The reptile just remained coiled
up and showed his ire by darting out his
forked tongue and trying to lash the air in
10 foam with his rattle. He was boss Of the
bar for the moment, and could have had
white seal champagne if he had called for
| it, or could have gone and taken it without
being molesed Ii he had started toward
the counter those on it would have attempt
ed to do the human fly act, and would have
tried to walk on the ceiling.
In Inc course of couple of minutes the
panic began to subside. Two or three par
ties who had been playing billiards eau
tiously advanced on the snake with cues
and succeeded in pinioning him TO the floor
without hurting him much. Then piece
of wire screen was obtained and nailed on
the box, an opening being left 10 slip the
reptile in With much caution and Difficult.
ty that was accomplished, and those who
were up on the counter were told they
might come down in safety. They said the
snake looked to be eight feet long, but that
is considered by others to be an exaggera-
ton Of about three feet. A No. II cuff
would not go round his body in the largest
part. Two of his fangs were taken out by
the men when they caught him, which they
did by placiug a forke1 stick on his neck
and then slipping nocse over his head
The reptile is said TO have two smaller fangs
left. Several of his rattles were broken off
in dragging him to the camp. During the
night his mate followed after him half Il
mile from where he was captured and was
found in Tie morning and killed.
Col. Gaynor intends to send the snake to
Ed. Stokes, proprietor of the Hoffman
House, New York, who wants one to place
10 case in his bar among the costly pic
lures with which it is hung. The reptile is
remarkably vicious, aud keeps his rattle CO.
ing for an hour at time when disturbed
Saranndh Neus
Sign PosTs.-The Scientific american not